Oh my!

[Update: It's that time again! You can now claim Wreckfest (PS5 only), Stranded Deep (PS4), and Battlefield V (PS4) for your PlayStation Plus libra?ry. The offer stands until June 1, 2021.]

The three games coming to PlayStation Plus members next month feature famous vehicles of destruction, from the historical and sporting to the nautical. On May 4, Wreckfest hits the PlayStation 5 lineup, while Battlefield V and Stranded Deep round out the PS4.

Wreckfest: Drive Hard, Die Last is a "full-contact racer" from the makers of FlatOut. There aren't just competitive races, but challenges involving odd vehicles like crop harvesters, and 24-player online multiplayer. Seems good for the folks who didn't get their fill of next-gen vehicular destruction from Destruction AllStars. 

Battlefield V is the series' return to World War 2, with single-player War Stories and massive multiplayer maps to fight across. It makes sense to see this on here, as the Battlefield team is teasing a reveal coming soon.

Stranded Deep is the one I'm least familiar with, but it looks like a survival game about staying alive ??after your p??lane crashes in the Pacific. Not only do you have to deal with hunger and thirst, but also the elements and creatures, like possibly sharks? Yikes.

This also serves as a reminder that Oddwold: Soulstorm, Days Gone, and Zombie Army 4: Dead War will be leaving the day before, on May 3. Make sure to lock those in if you do??n't want to miss out on zombies, zombies with a side of bikers, or trying to save your friends from platforming puzzles.

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It's a shame this couldn't become the definitive WWII game

DICE's final content update for Battlefield V is rolling out tomorrow, June 4, right one cue.

The Summer Update adds two maps – one of which, Al Marj Encampment, is all-new – plus nine weapons, six vehicles, five gadgets, and three grenades. The other map, Provence, "has been extended to include the farm land, and areas around the outskirts of town, bringing tanks into this battlefield on 64-player Conquest, and Breakthrough," according to Battlefield community manager Freeman.

"Both of these maps feature the U.S. and German armies as the two playable factions, with additional changes having also been made to Twisted Steel and Panzerstorm," he explained. "We'll be following up with a sim?ilar adjustment on Al Sundan later this month; in the interim this map won't feature in rotations while we make these changes. Twisted Steel and Panzerstorm will otherwise continue to operate as UK and Germa??n factions on Grand Operations and won't be adjusted in this mode."

Aside from the maps, here's a list of the new Summer Update? content:

New Weapons:

• Sjögren Shotgun (Support)
• Chauchat (Support)
• M3 Infrared (Recon)
• K31/43 (Recon)
• Welgun (Medic)
• M1941 Johnson (Assault)
• PPK/PPK Suppressed (all classes)
• M1911 Suppressed (all classes)
• Welrod (all classes)

New Vehicles:

• A-20 bomber (U.S. Faction)
• P-70 Night Fighter (U.S. Faction)
• P-51D fighter plane (U.S. Faction)
• P-51K fighter plane (U.S. Faction)
• M8 Greyhound (U.S. Faction)
• Puma Armored Car (German Faction)

New Gadgets:

• Doppel-Schuss (Recon)
• RMN 50 Grenade Launcher (Recon)
• Pistol Flamethrower (Assault)
• Shaped Charge (Support)
• Kampfpistole (Support)

New Grenades:

• Firecracker Grenade (all classes)
• Demolition Grenade (all classes)
• Type 99 Mine (all classes)

New Soldier Characters:

• 14 New U.S. Faction Soldiers
• 2 New Japan Faction Soldiers

The Chauchat has ?landed. For the full list of chang??es and additions, hit up those patch notes. The exact timing is June 4 at 3:00 a.m. Eastern on Xbox One, 4:00 a.m. on PC, and 5:00 a.m. on PlayStation 4.

This is the last major update, but it doesn't mean DICE is completely moving away from Battlefield V. Apart from "continued work with anti-cheat," the team is planning "more Community Game features."

As much as I'll always like BFV, it could never seem to catch up to fans' expectatio??ns quick enough.

Battlefield V - Summer Update Notes [Battlefield Forums]

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The next game can't repeat these mistakes

Battlefield V has plans for "one more standalone update" likely coming in?? June 2020, and then that's presumably it. The end of a meandering, disappointing era. While we don't know the focus of the next content expansion, it's clear that DICE won't be covering the scope of World War II as fans had hoped.

The June update – assuming that window doesn't slip – will have "new content, weapons, and game tweaks," according to DICE senior producer Ryan McArthur. "We're still tackling the challenges from working from home an???d will let you know how things progress for us over the next month."

I like Battlefield V. I thought it was flawed but thrilling. I just wish more people got to experience the game at its best, and the post-launch schedule wasn't so hazy and slow-moving for so long. The move from Premium to free DLC was nice in theory, but the rate at which updates were delivered and their quality wasn't up to players' expectations. That's to say nothing of the whole time-to-kill (TTK) saga.

I hope the next Battlefield takes its time before launch so DICE doesn't have to put out fires after the fact. It could also stand to take some cues from Call of Duty. Infinity Ward and co. are successfully juggling Modern Warfare, Warzone, content updates, and battle pass schedules. They're killing it??.

A new Battlefield is expected to release between April 2021 and March 2022 – E??????????????????????????A's 2022 fiscal year.

For what it's worth, for players still sticking with Battlefield V, DICE will "continue" its work against cheating. "The members of our anti-cheat team are working daily toward??s making the battlefield experience as free of foul play as possible," McArthur said. "We're constantly fighting the battle."

Given how this all went down, I feel like it'll be a long, long time before they tackle World War II again.

The Future of Battle??field V: An Update with Ryan McArthur [EA]

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Chapter 6: Into the Jungle releases February 6

This morning, DICE lifted the lid on Chapter 6: Into the Jungle, a Pacific-themed content update for Battlefield V that's set to rele?ase on February 6??, 2020. I feel muggy just watching the trailer.

The new map for Chapter 6, Solomon Islands, could be a ton of fun or a total slog depending on well your team adapts to dense jungle warfar??e. No one likes to be picked off from a hiding spot. "Defenders can stay hidden and use the terrain to hold the line," according to the developers, "but attackers will have several options: flanking, sending in infantry, or utilizing landing boats for a frontal assault."

More to the point, this map was designed by the team behind Locker and Argonne Forest. As community manager Adam Freeman put it, players can "expect a bit of a grind in certain parts.?"

If you stick around for more than a cursory playthrough of the Chapter 6 content, you'll be able to unlock a few new weapons – the Type 11 LMG (Support), the Model 37 shotgun (Support), and the M2 Carbine (Assault) – as well as a pair of tank-te??aring gadgets: the Lunge Mine and the M1A1 Bazooka.

Three Elite character avatars – the machete-wielding Misaki Yamashiro, the Zero pilot Akira Sakamoto, and the Tom Cruise-looking Steve Fisher – are also joining the war. Battlefield V players who grind all th?e way to Chapter Rank 40 be??fore the deadline will earn the right to play as Yamashiro.

I see the potential of Solomon Islands, I really do, but the future of this game continues to feel up in the air. Battlefield fans who were deflated by recent time-to-kill (TTK) changes will need to wa??it until Update 6.2 to see how DICE is going to "address the learnings based on your feedback and game data."

"Our 6.2 update is targeting a more expansive set of fixes and adjustments," said Freeman, "so bear with us as we work through the issues that?? you've highlighted to us so far? in 2020."

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Update 5.2 is not going over well with the community

Everyone has their preferences when it comes to what makes a great Battlefield map, but I think we can all come togeth?er to agree on one conclusion: Wake Island slaps. It's an all-time great. Iconic, even!

After months of meandering, Battlefield V is adding Wake Island on December 12, 2019. Today's trailer explains what's different with this interpretation of the map and ends on a tease for ?a new jungle locale.

That said, the Battlefield V community's current focus isn't on this long-requested map – instead, players are fixated on contentious changes to the game's overall TTK (Time to Kill) in update 5.2, which launched on December 5. As DICE put it in the patch notes, there's been "a rebalance of most weapons across Battlefield V, focusing on? the damage that weapons do outside of their designed ranges."

"It's a night-and-day difference," said YouTuber Westie. "You can basically throw al?l of your muscle memory and learned behavior for weapons out of the window with this update. I would go as far as to say that this is not a weapon rebalance, but it's a weapon rework. It's completely different."

"Pistols are unironically some of the best guns now," said redditor BleedingUranium. Another player, eh_W4rhe4rt, uploaded a clip of an assault rifle losing out to a pistol?? that brin?gs the point home.

The tu??g-of-war tuning saga continues into eternity. This game can?'t seem to catch any breaks, can it?

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Could this be the game's turning point?

For a while now, Battlefield V has needed something for lapsed fans to rally around, and that something – Chapter 5: War in the Pacific – is coming in hot. Starting October 31, you'll be able to play as the U.S. Armored Forces and Imperial Japanese Army on maps like Iwo Jima and Pacific Sto??rm, with weapons like the M1 Garand and katanas, while fighting to call in reinforcements like the Roc??ket Barrage Tank.

The? Pacific theater is almost here, and DICE's fingers are crossed that it can work wonders.

As part of the studio's ongoing free weekend trials, you'll be able to play Battlefield V for free with the War in the Pacific content beginning November 1, 2019. Unlike the prior events, which operated on a rotation of sorts, this particular trial will feature all of the multiplayer modes, not a limited selection. If there was ever a time to try Battlefield V, this has got to be it. You can play on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

As for the iconic Wake Island map, it's co?ming slightly later in December. That's the?? ticket.

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Just in time for the Pacific theater

It's not too late to get into Battlefield V, even if you're only looking to dip your toes in for the long-awaited War in the Pacific update. DICE is hosting free weekend events for the game throughout the month of October, and honestly, that's ample time to get your fill of WWII m?ultiplayer mayhem.

If you're down, you can install Battlefield V on PC via Origin, PS4, and Xbox One. Not every game mode will be available for every free-play event – they're running on a week-by-week schedule.

• Free Weekend 1 (starting October 10): Rush on Operation Underground, Rotterdam, Narvik, and Mercury, among other maps.
• Free Weekend 2 (starting October 17): Conquest on Operation Underground, Rotterdam, Devastation, Marita, and Arras.
• Free Weekend 3 (starting October 24): Grand Operations on Twisted Steel, Narvik, Hamada, Rotterdam, and Panzerstorm.
• Free Weekend 4 (starting November 1): All maps and modes including Chapter 5: War in the Pacific with the U.S., Japan, and Iwo Jima. This is the one to show up for.

Any progress you make will carry over to the full game, including unlocks like? the Captain Hadlow vehicle skin for the Stug IV (Week 1), the Trench Carbine (Week 2), and the anti-air Fliegerfaust (Week ??3).

I don't think I'm the only one who tends to skip most free weekends – it often doesn't feel worth the download time or data-cap investment to play a game once or twice at most before your free access is revoked – but the fact that Battlefield V is d??oing four trials in a row makes this a little m?eatier.

I'm also way into the idea of playing against folks who aren't as battle-hardened as dedicated BFV players who never left the game despi?te its poor content schedule. I want ??to stand a reasonable chance.

Battlefield V Origin Free Weekend Trials [EA]

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The spirit of Operation Metro lives on

The latest Battlefield V map, Operation Underground, channels Battlefield 3's Metro. When it comes to me??at grinder situations, I've always been the former, not the latter. I don't do we??ll with choke points!

The map spans a tightly-packed train station, a more breathable plaza, and some sneaky connecting courtyards. It'll be available in Battlefield V starting Thursday, October 3, and DICE will also have new gear like the Trench Carbine up for?? grabs each week of this month. We're still in Ch??apter 4.

Chapter 5 of the content schedule is the big one: three maps before 2020, including Iwo Jima, and Japan and the U.S. as playable factions. While Battlefield V has meandered at times, I get the distinct feeling that the game will see a surge of new and ret??????????????????????????urning players when the Pacific theater opens.

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Al Sundan hits on June 27

Battlefield V is still chugging along despite not meeting EA's expectations, and you can join in on most of the post-launch festivities for free. These days developer DICE is supplementing the game most frequently with maps, a few of which ??they showcased today at E3's EA Play event. 

Marita (Greece) is still coming in July and was already announced recently. Before that arrives, Al Sundan hits on June 27 on "day one of chapter four" of the free DLC tour, and is a re purposed version of the Under No Flag story from Battlefield V. At the end of chapter four (season four really) more "close quarters" battlefields are coming. Those will be Lofoten Islands, Operation Underground, and Provence. Chapter five will kick off in the fall and will focus on the Pacific theater and Iwo Jima is confirmed to launch with that chapter as well as "two other maps." You can get a quick look at the concept art for the Battlefield V vision of the Pacific front below.

DICE is also smashing the current rank barrier of 50 in August: in the future it'll actually be 500. Private servers are planned for September, BFV is part of the EA Access Vault, and that's b??asically it for now! It's quite a bit to look forward to.

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Name was not intended to be a political statement

DICE recently released a premium avatar for Battlefield V in the form of German officer Wilhelm Franke. A ruthless allied killing machine, Franke had the unfortunate coincidence of being named after a real-life figure from history. During World War II, Wilhelm Franke was a resistance fighter that fought against the Nazi regime and was eventually arrested by the Gestapo in 1944. That is the complete opposite of BFV's av?atar and has rightfully stirred up some cont?roversy from fans.

Speaking to Vice, EA offered a statement saying, "We've become a?ware that one of the names of our Elites, Wilhelm Franke, shares the name of a real-life resistance member in Germany during t??he Second World War. We want to apologize as we certainly didn't mean any disrespect to him. We are in the process now of changing the name."

They continued, claiming, "The aforementioned Elite, Wilhelm Franke, whose name we're changing is not a Nazi, but a German soldier similar to ones we already have in the game. In Battlefield V, we're ??not making any political statements in relation to the real-life events of WWII and there are no swastikas in the game." This is despite the fact that the change was sparked by political connotations and that World War II was one of the world's fiercest political conflicts.

I honestly have no problem w?ith the change and I do believe EA is telling the truth here. It seems DICE didn't do its research well enough and happened upon the name of a real figure by coincidence. Still, don't sit there and say a WWII game isn't political. There is no possible way you can say that with a straight face, even if you "removed" Nazis from the experience.

EA Is Changing the Name of a Nazi in 'Battlefield V' That Belonged to a Real-Life Resistance Fighter [Vice]

Wie Battlefield 5 einen Antifaschi?sten zum Nazi macht: Der seltsame Fall des Wilhelm Franke [Archaeogames]

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We have to make it through Chapter 4: Defying the Odds first

Whether you've played Battlefield V or you're still biding your time, there's something DICE could do to draw attention: bring us into the Pacific theater already! I like BFV, I real??ly do, but the game has long since moved onto the back-burner and without a major shakeup, it's hard to imagine returning.

The studio isn't quite ready to talk about Battlefield V's take on the Pacific yet, but today's trailer – a look at several maps coming with Chapter 4: Defying the Odds, the next spot on the game's content roadmap – ends with a clear teaser. There's a few short seconds of cinematic footage depicting the national flag of Japan on a contested beachfront with a fleet of ships looming in the backgr??ound.

With the way things are scheduled, it's not coming in the immediate future, but it is coming.

More immediately, Chapter 4 will bring us a batch of maps including Al Sundan (June 27), a riff on the North African desert mission from the single-player story mode, and the Battle of Greece's Marita (July), which spans a rural mountainside town with lots of flanking opportunities. Battlefield V will then get a pair of close-quarter maps – Provence (France) and Lofoten Islands (Norway) – in August 2019.

Other content drops like "map, vehicle, and weapon updates" for Firestorm (June) and new guns like the S2-200 MMG and Panzerbuchse Anti-Materiel Rifle are also on the docket throughout the year. Fans of Battlefield 3's meat-grinding Metro can look forward to th?e Operation Underground map this October.

I h?ope DICE leans more heavily into the Pacific at E3 next week, even if it's just an extended tease. The description for today's Defying the Odds trailer promises "the awakening of a giant in? Chapter 5."

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Be on the lookout for unique characters in the near future

It's getting to be about that time. Starting April 4, Battlefield V will o?ffer cosmetic items and "time savers"?? in exchange for real-world money. The game's continued post-launch support won't fund itself.

EA has a lengthy post detailing the new Battlefield Curre??ncy, but purchases boil down to either looking unique or saving time on progression-based unlocks. In the former category, you can expect to see more gear and gun cosmetics pop up and also Elites: visually distinct characters with "a themed a??ssortment of cosmetic items, character voice-overs, a Bes?t Squad animation, and an exclusive Special Assignment that helps bring to life the story of the Elite and unlocks a signature melee weapon."

DICE s??tresses that "Elites play like any other soldier and do not grant any type of gameplay advantage." The studio hasn't pinned down a release date yet, but they won't be ready in time for April 4.

As for Battlefield V's time savers, they're about what you'd expect. There will be Tier Catch-Ups for unlocking Chapter Reward items and also XP Boosts "allowing you to reach Chapter, Career, Weapon, Vehicle, or Class Rank at a faster pace." It's nothing particularly new to Battlefield as a series.

Finally, Battlefield V will round out its real-money purchases with bundles containing Battlefield Currency and various weapon skins. The?? first two of these packs will be available tomorrow.

"Looking ahead, we will continue to release new cosmetic items that can be obtained through direct progression, [the in-game currency] Company Coins, and/or [the real-money] Battlefield Currency," the studio said. "We want to give every player a chance to ac?cess new cosmetic items, whether they choose to spend real-world money or earn content through gameplay."

We haven't seen a pricing breakdown yet, but assuming this stuff isn't anything out of the ordinary, I feel like most players will promptly ignore the microtransactions and carry on playing and progressing like normal. Speaking of, DICE has also shared the patch notes for the Firestorm-focused Apri??l update.

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A not so disco inferno

In today's episode of Impulse, I'm joined by my good friend Justin Moore to discuss our brief time spent in Battlefield's first crack at the battle royale genre known as Firestorm! After putting in a solid couple of hours this past week, we've come back from it feeling m??ore disinterested than burned.

Firestorm certainty isn't bad, hell, it's a solid mode and great addition to Battlefield V -- I just don't think it'll be as hot as the name suggests. This mostly boils down to?? the fact Firestorm doesn't do much different from other games within the genre and it also handles other things far more poorly (such as matchmaking and the terrible looting system).

It's certainly a looker, though, as it's easily the best looking game within battle royale thanks to the Frostbite Engine. Combine this with vehicles, destructible environments, and objectives -- it does play to Battlefield's strengths.

Ultimately, it's still nice to have a game that takes a more grounded approach to the genre outside of PUBG and Call of Duty's Blackout. But, I can't help but feel like this mode would have been much more appreciated at launch and that Apex Legends easily stole the show th??is year when it comes to?? battle royale games.

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Room for one more?

Just days before Battlefield's take on battle royale enters the ring, DICE has released a gameplay trailer for Firestorm. It's pre?tty much what you'd expect, and that isn't a bad thing. Ther?e's item scavenging, objective capturing, a plethora of vehicles, and plenty of opportunities for wanton destruction.

I c??an already tell I'm going to want to squad up for Firestorm. Solo play seems intim??idating as hell.

Aside from the huge new map (the series' largest to date), there are a bunch of other wrinkles to the traditional Battlefield V experience. For instance: backpacks. And armor vests, which you'll physically load with metal plate??s to improve your soldier's survivability against bullets and ??explosions.

Firestorm also has bunkers with powerful vehicles (that conveniently can't b?e accessed until you turn two noisy dials) and players can find and fire flare guns for supply drops or the devastating V-1 Rocket.

The trailer serves as a general overview, whereas the Firestorm sit?e goes much more in-depth.

I'm curious to see how I'll get along with Firestorm given that Battlefield V, in general, can be finicky. When it's fun, it's thrilling, but when you're having an off day, it's a total slog. There's also the matter of timing and pricing. Can Firestorm build a big enough audience with Apex Legends living its best life?

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Burning Man

Electronic Arts has revealed that Battlefield V will receive its long-awaited battle royale mode later this month. The new mode, Firestorm, will bring the "Last Person Standing" gimmick to the militar??y shooter, which launched in No?vember 2018.

A surprisingly cinematic trailer gives us a look at Battlefield's take on the multiplayer fad, weirdly painting it more as if it were a ?campaign expansion. Still, it seems that chaotic gunfights, air, sea and land assault vehicles, as well as the obligatory parachute sequence are all present and correct.

Perhaps the craziest original addition is the "collapse" itself, which has been conceived as a literal wall of fire. Very apocalyptic. Also notable is a very, very weird remix of Talking Heads' hit, Burning Down th?e House. Firestorm will go live in-game March 25.

Battlefield V is available now on PS4, PC and Xbox One

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7.3 million sales, about 1 million below expectations

Electronic Arts is disappointed in the third quarter of its 2019 fiscal year. In a release to investors,? EA says it didn't perform to expectations and that it didn't execute on strategies like it expected to, especially compared to what has happened elsewhere in the video game industry.

One of the biggest sore spots is Battlefield V, which was one of the few titles EA launched last holiday season. In an investors call, CEO Andrew Wilson stated that Battlefield V performed below projections, partially because of the facets it prioritized. Specifically, Wilson says the decision to include a single-player campaign rather than a battle royale mode at launch was particularly detrimental.?? As we all know, battle royale was extremely popular last year.

This isn't the only factor, though. Wilson also mentioned that pushing Battlefield V from October to November had a significant impact. By late November, holiday sales were in full swing and many of Battlefield V's competitors were already discounted??????????????????????????. That's ??a tough spot for a full price game.

Ultimately, CFO Blake Jorgensen says Battlefield V sold 7.3 million units (with particularly strong digital sales). That's a full one million below expectations. Still, EA is optimistic about the future of Battlefield&nbs?p;as a live game with an extended life. The battle royale Firestorm mode will be added in March, which will most certainly give it a boost. But, if EA had to do it over again, it sounds like battle royale would've been included right at t??he beginning.

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Chapter 2 of the roadmap, Lightning Strikes, begins Jan. 17

The next phase in Battlefield V's post-launch roadmap, Lightning Strikes, marks the return of the explosive attack-and-defend Rush mode. We're also getting another Grand Operation and Squad Conquest, a "tighter and more ?intense version of Conquest" ?with small teams vying for control.

It's a gradual content rollout, so not everything will be available all at once. Case in point, Combined Arms, the new four-player co-op mode, isn't arriving until February. More immediately, DICE has an incoming update that'll introduce Squad Conquest, new guns earnable through Weekly Challenges, and numerous improvements to Battlefield V including the oft-talked-about "time to death."

Here's how the developers are attempting to smooth over the so-called "death experien??ce":

• The name of the enemy that has killed a player is now shown in the game world when the player has died. This highlights the killer and helps players understand who killed them and from where, especially in crowded situations.
• Improved the death experience with the addition of a camera that now follows and zooms towards the killer. This will allow players to understand what killed them and the position of the killer.
• Improved accuracy of the visual representation of incoming bullets for other players.
• Tracers should now properly appear to consistently appear from the shooter, and should be clearer when the victim is looking directly at the shooter.
• Fixed an issue with the UI directional damage indicator that delayed the indication of damage to the victim.
• Made tweaks to the UI directional damage indicator to more accurately point towards the enemy damaging the player.

While these notes sound good, this aspect of Battlefield V will likely be a constant back-and-forth.

The 16-player Squad Conquest mode runs from January 17 to January 30, with a map rotation limited to just Arras, Rotterdam, and Hamada. (Note: those are the dates "for now." It'll? return another day.)

"This new mode reconfigures the battlefield to encourage a more tactical playstyle, allowing for a single player to have a larger impact on the match. These strategic maps contain more defined lanes of battle ??and smaller combat areas, which means that it's more important than ever to predict where the enemies are coming from, what needs to be defended, and how to subvert enemy movement."

As for the progression side of things, I hope Lightning Strikes is a little less chaotic than last time. Players will be able to level up to Chapter Rank 40, earning cosmetic rewards each step of the way. Then there are time-limited Chapter Events, which act as a more enticing carrot on a stick with new guns up for grabs. By completing specific challenges, you can come away with the ZK-383 submachine gun (Medic class), Modele?? 1944 semi-automatic rifle (Assault), and M1922 MMG (Support).

The next Battlefield V beat is set for March, and it's a notable one: Firestorm, aka the battle royale mode. Until then, I expect to see some silly pink-haired Battlefield x Final Fantasy images. We can do it!

Battlefield [Twitter]

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May your Christmas be Historically Accurate

Ok, so they're hardly the kindest of Holiday gifts, but developer DICE is offering up two free weapons to all players who log into Battlefield V at any point over the next fortnight.

The two death-bringers up for grabs are the Ribeyrolles 1918 rifle and the M1897 Shotgun, best saved for close encounters of the worst kind. This offer is open for Battlefield V players on all? platforms and will e??nd on January 3.

This news will likely be treated a little more positively than the backlash that faced the shooter over its recent TTK (Time To Kill) update. The patch, which altered the amount of damage a player could take before dying, had to be rolled back due to overwh?elming negative feedback from players.

Battlefield V is available now on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

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Last minute shooter deals for Xmas

If you were thinking of picking up either Battlefield V or Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 during Black Friday and Cyber Monday but slept through the whole ordeal because sleep is so much better - you're in luck. Both flagship titles are now at their historic low price since their respective release date. In fact, Battlefield V has been released for just a month and the DICE/EA title is now 50% off.

The deals are courtesy of Walmart and Best Buy, with the latter offering both the console and PC version of Black Ops 4 at 50% off. ;In fact, Best Buy's deal is even better if you're one of?? the few people who sti?ll have a Best Buy Gamers Club Unlock membership as the extra 20% off discount will stack on top of the existing deal - making them even cheaper at only $23.99. Best Buy GCU is of course no longer available for sign-up and only those with existing members can take advantage of double dipping.

For those wondering if either title is worth playing (because you've slept through release week as well), you can check out Battlefield V's review here and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's review here.

Battlefield V Deals

• Battlefield V (PS4) — $29.83  (list price $60)
• Battlefield V (Xbox One) — $29.83  (list price $60)

Black Ops 4 Deals

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (PS4) — $29.99  (list price $60)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Xbox One) — $29.99  (list price $60)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (PC) — $29.99  (list price $60)

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The Tides of War bring a new story, map, and practice range

The first batch of Battlefield V's post-launch content is upon us. Rather than using a premium pass model, this time, DICE has opted to go with a free DLC schedule dubbed Tides of War. The plan will eventually lead to the release of the game's ba?ttle royale mode Firestorm, but that's not until March. Tomorrow, we're get??ting a new story chapter, another map, a practice range, and vehicle skins.

As shown in this accompanying trailer, the new War Story, "The Last Tiger," is a tank-centric mission from the German perspective. That premise fills in a gap in Battlefield V's single-player offer?ings, but I'm not expecting a whole lot. The three existing standalone stories didn't do much for me.

The incoming multiplayer map, Panzerstorm, is more my speed. It's also all about tanks. Inspired by the Battle of Hannut in Belgium, the map "allows up to 17 tanks (and three more Reinforcements)," as writer Jonas Elfving notes on the PlayStation Blog. I'll need start to start levelin??g my Assault class.

If you haven't had many chances to try out vehicles in Battlefield V, I feel ya. This week's update?? includes a practice range with shooting and driving exercises to help us brush up our skills. I always feel g?uilty mucking around with this stuff in live multiplayer matches, so that's much appreciated.

The update caps off with cosmetic options fo??r veh?icles like nose art on planes.

Everything mentioned above will launch tomorrow, December 4 as "Tides of War Chapter 1: Overture." Again, if you own Battlefield V, you're good ??to go. This content isn't gated behind a paid pass.

For a look at the current Battlefield V roadmap, check the image below.

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V for victory

Battlefield V isn't an across-the-board step up from Battlefield 1, but it nails the essentials. It's not just a good Battlefield game, it's a great one. For those folks who wrote DICE off early on, that might come as a surprise. For alpha and beta testers who got a feel for the heightened focus on squad dynamics and player-built fortifications, ?it's... also a surprise! I wasn't convinced they'd ??stick the landing.

The game doesn't fully launch until November 20, but there are a couple of ways to play Battlefield V before then, such as EA's monthly subscription service Origin Access. I'm not used to these multi-week release schedules, but I'll need to acc?limate soon. This stuff is only going to b??ecome more prevalent.

Battlefield V (PC [reviewed], PS4, Xbox One)
Developer: EA DICE
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release: November 20, 2018
MSRP: $59.99

Straight away, it's worth stressing that while Battlefield V is set during WWII, it doesn't feel antiquated. Mechanically speaking, it's some of the best-feeling Battlefield in a long time. Also: for better and for worse, the game doesn't retread familiar ground. It revolves around the era's lesser-known stories and settings, which can be simultaneously refreshing and a little disappointing, especially for 1942 fans.

Part of me hopes DICE circles back to all of the familiar WWII story beats, but even without iconic set-pieces, there's already a lot to love. Just looking at launch content, Battlefield V gets a lot right.

Most important of all, the gun handling is fluid. Combat feels deceptively effortless, yet it's layered enough to generously reward skillful play, thoughtful tactics, and above all, teamwork. The maps are generally excellent and promote varied playstyles, from the flowing fields of Arras -- an instant classic -- to the all-seeing, all-knowing bridge of Twisted Steel. Miraculously, every character class is impactful and enjoyable. There's a smattering of decent pick-up-and-play single-player War Stories, including a stealth-centric rebellion mission in Norway in which you can equip and unequip skis at will. At will!

To be clear though, you shouldn't get Battlefield V for its short prologue and three multi-part story missions (with a fourth segment set to arrive in December). I appreciate the effort, and DICE's storytelling has come a long way in recent years. That said, they're only worth going through once. Even then, one of the missions -- Under No Flag -- felt weirdly static to me, despite its open-ended structure. Battlefield is best known for its outlandish multiplayer moments. BFV isn't any different.

I can't emphasize enough how much I love the fortification system, which gives Battlefield a newfound rhythm. You can now assist your team by laying down sandbags, razor wire, resupply stations, and other structures in pre-determined locations, regardless of the class you choose. Building is quick, it doesn't cost any resources, and it can make all the difference in a tug-of-war. Fortifications are useful whether you're attacking or defending an outpost and, crucially, they can be blown up. As a matter of fact, things are constantly blowing up in Battlefield V. I'm reminded of the Bad Company 2 glory days.

Fortifications also flow into another focal point: attrition. While the concept needed a lot of refinement in pre-release iterations of Battlefield V (and there's probably still work left to be done), the i?dea is to make players feel a) increasingly vulnerable and b) reliant on their teammates. It's a tricky balance. Limit ammo counts and health regenerati??on too much, and players understandably grow frustrated. Go too far in the other direction, and suddenly everyone's lone-wolfing it again. DICE found the right formula.

Peak Battlefield is rolling up as a squad, calling out orders, topping each other up with health and ammo, and pulling off clutch flanks that snowball from small wins to an overall victory. The attrition mechanics (and tweaks like squadmates being able to revive one another even if they aren't a medic) help support these dynamics without feeling forced. BFV keeps you from dwelling in any one area for too long, encouraging teamwork on a micro and macro scale. Play the objective, and you'll?? have a good time.

I also have to give a shout-out to the new spotting system, which is now primarily releg?ated to the Recon (sniper) class. (You can ?use a scoped tool or "tag" foes by landing shots.) The days of everyone on the server hammering a key to learn the precise whereabouts of enemy soldiers are thankfully gone.

So, where does Battlefield V fall flat? There's no single glaring issue I can cleanly point to and criticize. It's more a case of countles??s papercuts collectively causing pain. Let me run through the lowlights.

The menus are still frustratingly sluggish, particularly when it comes to swapping in new gear and cosmetics on your troops. The starter land-based vehicles, at least on the current maps, feel severely downplayed. Battlefield 1's biggest triumph, Operations, loses some of its harrowing luster in Battlefield V. Server disconne?cts and match-ruining bugs -- like the occasional inability to revive anyone, or bom??bs getting trapped under the map and ushering in a state of purgatory -- continue to plague me.

DICE has detailed its post-launch plans, dubbed Tides of War, so we know roughly what to expect and when to expect it. I'm relieved there isn't a premium pass this time around. We can all access the same maps and modes. But after the way Star Wars Battlefront II went down, I'm feeling cautious about Battlefield V's future??. Some of the current issues will be?? fixed soon. Other problems will reveal themselves down the road. All I can do is assess the current version of the game -- no more, no less.

Given enough time to work out the kinks, fine-tune the balance, and flesh out the full-priced package with content like the promised battle royale mode Firestorm, I can see this growing into one of my favorite installments. As is, I wouldn't necessarily rush out to buy the game right this minute unless Battlefield is your mult?iplayer series of choice and you can tolerate the early bugs and rough edges.

While I'm happy with what we got, I ultimately can't help but wonder what another six months could've done for Battlefield V. In a business with vir??tually no downtime, that's just the way it is.

_{[This review i??s based on a retail build of the game purchased by the reviewer.]}

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Not what I expected

When I think "Battlefield," I think "big player counts." I can recall popping Battlefield 1942 into my PC for the first time and being in awe at the 64-player vehicular battles, a rarity at the time (generally it was one or the other). So when I hear 16 years later that EA and DICE are targeting 64 players for Battlefield V's battle royale mode, I'm und??erstandably disappointed.

Speaking to VG247, live service development director Ryan MacArthur noted that when Firestorm (their take on the battle royale genre) drops in March 2019, that the "current target is 64 players" -- as a note battle royale games/modes typically aim for 100. MacArthur says they first and foremost want it to "feel like Battlefield," which is an admirable enough goal that DICE intends to use to ??allow it to break away from the pack, but might not be enough to really break through.

After being presse?d about the potential for higher player counts in the future VG247 was shut down. That...might be it for Firestorm's upper range, but EA intends to share more info on the mode leading into its March launch. I hope so.

“The current targ??et is 64 players” in Battlefield 5’s battle royale mode [VG247]

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Is that enough for you?

We already know that Battlefield V's battle royale mode Firestorm won't be out until March 2019, but what maps will the game come with? EA has shared footage of all eight launch?? maps set for Nov.? 20.

The core ma??p offerings will span North Africa, France, Holland, and Norway.

Battlefield V beta testers should be well acquainted with the frigid Narvik and the bridge-filled Rotterdam by now. There's also the mountain peak of Fjell 652, the torn-apart Devastation and Twisted Steel, and the scenic fields of Arras. The list closes out with Hamada and my personal favorite, Aerodrome. The FPS genre has a history of great airport hangar maps, s?o I'm expecting a lot here.

DICE is preparing another map, the Belgium-set Panzerstorm, for after launch. It's all-out tank warfare. The studio says it's the "biggest ever" tank map yet w?ith seven vehicle slots allocated for each team.

To see the full map lineup, take a peek at the gallery below. Eight might not sound like a lot -- and really, it isn't -- but it's close to Battlefield 1, which released with nine maps. As long as they're good, I'm good.

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Room for one more?

It's been quite the fall season for video game fans. The last few weeks have seen a ton of great, acclaimed titles hit the market, including Marvel's Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2, Soulcalibur VI, Super Mario Party. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Assassin's Creed Odyssey, alongside various sporting titles and mid-tier titles like Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise and Starlink: Battle for Atlas.

But the year isn't over yet, and Electronic Arts are yet to release their next entry in the tank-toting Battlefield series, which will finally launch in late-November. It would be easy to suggest that the market is already filling up the backlogs of many players, and that and AAA games between now and the Holidays might not get a look-in. But EA CEO Andrew Wilson is confident that Battlefield V will have its day in the spotlight.

"In terms of our confidence in the Battlefield V launch, with respect to other things that have happened in the industry, I think the industry is vibrant and growing and we couldn’t be more excited for our Battlefield V launch," said Wi?lson during a quarterly financial call.

"We’ve still got over 10 million players in our existing Battlefield games that we are in direct communication with as we go into launch. Battlefield has a tremendously rich and robust community who love those ‘only in Battlefield‘ moments. We’re coming out with strong multiplayer, strong single-player, but also a tremendous live service with content that’s free for all players in the months and years to come. So I think we feel good about that even in the context of what have been some other s??trong launches and I think that’s additive to what we’re going to do there."

Battlefield V is also eschewing the popular battle royale trend on launch, with their take on the genre, Firestorm, launching in March 2019. Battlefield is nothing if n??ot a stalwart series, however, with a strong, dedicated following and its own personality w??hen it comes to campaign and multiplayer modes. Time will tell if brand prestige and its loyal battalion of followers will see it through to topple some of the giants currently dominating the charts.

Battlefield V launches on November 20 for PS4, PC and Xbox One?.

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BFV arrives in November

Well this is a kick in the head. Battlefield V, following a delay, is out on November 20 on PC, PS4 ??and Xbox One. Its battle royale mode won't be av?ailable until March.

Based on the updated roadmap for BFV, we're getting eight maps and eigh?t modes at launch, as well as the "War Stories" single player component. Sometime in December or January "Overture" (more War Story content) hits, followed by "Lightning Strikes" (co-op) sometime in January through March. March, at the earliest, is when "Firestorm," the aforementioned battle royale mode, will hit (we knew it would be a free update post-launch but not four months later). Other smaller sprinkles of updates include a practice range, vehicle cosmetics, missions, modes and locations.

While Battlefield V can most definitely stand on its own, Firestorm was expected to directly compete with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blackout mode. Now Activision will h??ave the upper hand, welcoming a fanbase into their ecosystem five months in advance: during the holidays, no less.

Battlefield V Launch [Battlefield]

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Oh hey, they got Mark Strong

For those of you picking up Battlefield V next month, are you going to bother with the single-player offering or are you heading straight into multiplayer like usual? Today's trailer might ch??ange your mind.

Considering I liked Battlefield 1's campaign but never finished it, my future feels set in stone. The new WWII game is taking a similar approach with its appropriately-named single-player War Stories.

According to DICE, players will "resist German occupation in Norway, sabotage behind enemy lines as an unlikely English soldier in Under No Flag, fight for a home you've never seen in Tirailleur, and in The Last Tiger (available in December) join the crew of a Tiger I as they question why they fight.??"

I am very down for a first-person skiing setpiece. That's out-there enough for Battlefield to catch my interest. I'm also a fan of actor Mark Strong and think he's well cast as the narrator of War Stories. Will I feel ?compelled to see every story through to its end, though? I'm not so sure. It'll probably b??e fine.

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Impressions from the open beta

Battlefield V ha?s been kicking my ass, and based on what I've seen of this week's open beta, I'm not alone. There's going to be a not-insignificant learning curve for players who don't prioritize team dynamics and really take their time. The game may seem like more of the same on the surface, but a bunch of seemingly small tweaks add up to crea??????????????????????????te a distinct and at times jarring new experience.

Battlefield fans are torn, and they're only going to become more div?ided as time goes on.

Much of what I covered in my alpha impressions still holds true: you never seem to have enough health or ammo as you'd like, sticking with your squad is just as crucial now if not m?ore so, and building fortifications at a defensive position can give your team noticeably better odds. You also can't rely on mashing the "spot" key to highlight enemies, a change that has far-reaching repercussions.

I won't go into every single mechanical change since many of these things will be in flux leading up to the full release. But the end result? Battlefield V is unfo?rgiving. Simply staying alive is no small feat.

If you sneak behind enemy lines for a heroic solo flank, you'll likely run out of ammunition mid-fight. If you pop out of cover and hesitate for a split second, there's a good chance you'll be snip??ed. If you're shot and enter a downed state, you probably won't be revived? -- squadmates and Medics can pick you up, but it's a slow and vulnerable process, so they won't always risk it. Finally, there's a respawn time on top of the bleed out. Not only does death come quick, but getting back onto the field is sluggish.

This might sound horribly unfun, and it sure can be, but when Battlefield V is working as intended -- when squads keep each other topped up and play the objective methodically -- it's amazing. The lows are painfully l??ow, but the highs are blissfully high. I have to stress that the shooting and movement mechanics feel wonderful. Headshots in this game are among the most satisfying I've ever pulled off.

I left the Battlefield V alpha feeling cautious but hopeful, and I'm leaving the beta feeling like the recent delay to November was a no-brainer. DICE has a lot to look at and refine, from general game balance to weapon upgrades to vehicles to the user interface. The list goes on. I think this w??ill eventually get where it needs to be (but probably not in time for launch)??, and people will come to either love it or loathe it. I'd much rather have a divisive and imperfect sequel that tried something new than a rote one.

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16 squads duke it out in a battle royale

We recently learned that Firestorm, Battlefield V's take on battle royale, will pit 16 squads against each other on the series' "biggest" map to date. We know that a ring of fire slowly pushes players closer together. We also know that tanks are present, something the genre hasn't seem much of yet. In a blog post, DICE reiterated these poin??ts and opened up ab??out a few more details today.

In a very Battlefield touch, Firestorm will have several types of objectives. "These will operate similar to those found in the iconic Conquest mode, except some will be found at fixed locations and some a??t random, with varying types of supplies, weapons, and vehicles." Since you'll drop in without a weapon loadout, scavenging for loot and playing the objectives as a well-oiled machine will be crucial.

DICE has also stated that "matches are tied to your Company and Battlefield V progression."

As we hear more about Firestorm, it's clear to me that this won't feel like any other battle royale experience out there. I'm not sure if that's going to be a good or bad thing, but I'm super curious to see how it plays. Battlefield V really puts pressure on players to work together as a squad given how limited ammo is, and in Firestorm, squad play is a straight up requirement. I need to see this in action??.

Firestorm: First Details of Battlefield ??V?'s Battle Royale Mode [EA]

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Johnny Cash's worst nightmare

In a new trailer loaded with an incredible amount of PR speak, we've finally gotten some details on how Battlefield V's battle royale mode will play out. Those hoping for something akin to PUBG or Fortnite will be saddened, as "Firestorm" (the official name for the mode) will be limited to 16 four-man teams for a total of 64 players. The trailer does promise that the map will be "the largest Battlefield map ever" and include everything players have come to expect from? the series.

Along with that, there is information about how the "Tides of War" service will work. Beginning with "The Fall of Europe" at launch, this service will introd??????????????????????????uce a free new campaign every few months for players to partake in. The second chapter, which is still unnamed, will take place in Greece and focus on a completely different front of World War II.

The last bit was some new campaign DLC called "Under No Flag." This has players assume the role of a British criminal deep with??in enemy terri?tory in Northern Africa. You'll need to make use of his special skills to escape and that is about all we know. It seems the campaign will be continually updated with post-launch content, so look forward to that after buying the game on October 19.

This is Battlefield V [Battlefield via YouTube]

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Limited time offer

EA and DICE are gearing up for the Battlefield V beta shortly, but they haven't forgotten the previous entry in the series. After talking about making DLC free and taking steps to prevent splitting the player base, everyone will have the chance to nab the "Premium Pass" for BF1 following the conclusion of V's beta. For one week starting on September 11, the pass will be free to players on Origin. The only downside is you'll need to actually own BF1 to grab it.

The pass includes a crap ton of maps and basically doubl?es the base game's size. It also means that you'll likely have a bet?ter chance of finding online matches since you'll own all the content. While I'm not exactly happy with it being a limited time offer (or being limited to owners of the game), at least this PSA should give you enough time to mark your calendars.

Battlefield 1's Premium Pass will be free for a week after Battlefield 5's open bet??a [Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

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